Semblance of Normalcy
by Wai - Aki
Summary: [Gippalai] After their speech in Luca stadium, Baralai and Gippal reflect on their past and the normalcy they had and of the road ahead.


Title: Semblance of normalcy  
Author: Wai  
Pairing: GippalxBaralai  
Fandom: Final Fantasy X-2  
30 kisses theme: "The road home"  
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Etc, etc.

* * *

Nooj was the first to leave, making excuses about how the Youth League was falling apart without him at the helm. They all knew it was an excuse because Nooj had left the Youth league in capable hands and he really wasn't worried at all. The real reason was a very persistent Leblanc.

So they waved as Nooj caught a ride with some of his Youth League underlings.

"So here we are." Gippal said with a satisfied sigh.

"Yes." Baralai nodded, sounding equally pleased.

"I'm glad it all worked out." Gippal said slowly, throwing Baralai a wide grin.

"I," Baralai paused, unsure with his words for once. "I have so much to apologize for." And Gippal could practically feel the guilt that his friend was radiating.

The Al Bhed sighed and shook his head, a rueful smile on his face. He reached out to pat his friend on the shoulder, squeezing Baralai's shoulder once to remind the man that Gippal was there for him and he was staying.

"If you plan on apologizing for that, then I have to apologize for pointing my weapon at you." Gippal pointed out and continued on, despite the protest that he could see was rising from Baralai's throat. "But I'm not going to apologize. Because we've all been influenced by that bastard. So if you don't want to hear me apologize, I suggest you don't even _think_ about apologizing to me or anyone else right now, _Praetor_." Gippal said, smirking.

The New Yevon Praetor stared at his friend incredulously for a few moments, amazed that the Al Bhed could forgive and forget so easily. And then he remembered that this was _Gippal_ and finally broke into a smile.

"Punk." He muttered, too affectionate for his tastes, but Gippal was his friend and a brat and this brat always made him smile in the end.

Gippal snorted. "You sound like an old man, calling me that, Baralai. And stop feeling so burdened! Otherwise you'd end up looking like Nooj."

"How does that work?"

"You know Noojster and his brooding moods. If you start getting into one of those moods too, you're going to age way too quickly. I mean, you don't want to look like a 40 year old man like Nooj, right?"

Baralai had to stifle a chuckle, shaking his head at his best friend. "If Nooj heard you..."

"Besides," Gippal continued, ignoring Baralai's words. "being in Bevelle really took it out on you. You're starting to get wrinkles!"

"WHAT?"

Gippal began to laugh, pointing at Baralai's shocked face and holding his stomach.

"Oh man, you should have seen your face!" Gippal managed to choke out before bursting into a fit of laughter yet again. But the laughter was cut short when Baralai reached over to mess with his hair. Unyielding fingers tangling into blond hair, causing Gippal to yelp.

"Not the hair!" He shrieked.

"Wrinkles, was it?" Baralai asked innocently, catching Gippal into a headlock and snickered as his fingers caused further damage to Gippal's hairdo.

"Baralaiiiiiiii!"

Five minutes later both Al Bhed and Praetor collapsed on the ground, laughing. Both looking disheveled, Gippal more so than Baralai. The Al Bhed mock-grumbled as he attempted to fix his hair.

"Do you know how long it takes me to fix my hair?"

"I remember." Baralai said, leaning heavily against Gippal's side, chuckling. "You would always wake up an hour earlier than the rest of us, just so you can fix your hair. I remember that one time when Paine woke up early and saw you looking like a-"

"Don't say it!" Gippal warned, but Baralai paid his warning no heed.

"Chocobo!" Gippal groaned, elbowing Baralai in the back, causing the Praetor to jump slightly, though he kept on laughing.

"That reminds me. I need to get Paine back for calling me that in the first place."

Baralai opened his mouth, ready to say something, but someone cleared their throat and both friends looked up to see Isaaru and Maroda standing not too far away. The former summoner looked amused at the scene that he had just witnessed and his brother had an equally amused look on his face.

"Praetor, we will be leaving for Bevelle very soon."

"Ah." Baralai couldn't quite smother the disappointment in his voice. Gippal got up first, and then smiled down at Baralai, extending his hand to help the Praetor up. Baralai raised an eyebrow at the offered hand but took it anyway.

"I have to leave soon too. Cid wants to talk to me about something, so I have to head to Bikanel before I can go back home to Djose."

"Alright." And suddenly, there was an awkwardness that hadn't been there before. As if sensing this, Maroda and Isaaru exchanged looks.

"We will be waiting for you on the other side, Praetor."

"So this is where we part, hmm?" Gippal said softly.

"It's not the Mihen Highroad this time." Baralai pointed out. Gippal rolled his eye.

"Thank goodness. I don't want a bad case of déjà vu." He muttered as his friend chuckled. "But we're not going to be strangers this time." Gippal said firmly. "You're going to visit me whenever you get any free time. And if I go for months without hearing a word from you, I'm gathering together a rescue team and we'll bust you out of Bevelle."

"You can't do that!"

"Oh trust me, with Rikku, you can do anything." Gippal said with a grin, shrugging. "Besides, I'm sure Paine would love to help. And Noojster would jump at the chance to get away from that female leech of his."

They both shared a laugh, loving the quiet moment between them as they stared at each other with identical wistful expressions on their faces.

"Well, I should get going then." Gippal said. Baralai nodded, ready to turn around and walk away himself. But before he could do that, Gippal grabbed a hold of his shoulder and yanked him forward.

Baralai's eyes widened when Gippal kissed him softly on the cheek. The gesture was far too loving, far too caring to be just another one of Gippal's prank. And when Gippal pulled away, Baralai could see that it the Al Bhed was serious this time.

"I'm expecting a payment back for that, Praetor." Gippal said cheekily. "And pay it back with _interests_." Baralai's eyes widened for a moment and then he began to laugh.

He nodded once and waved at Gippal as the blond turned around and began to run. No doubt to his personal airship, something that looked more like sky junk than an airship really, but Gippal loved that thing.

When Baralai finally lost sight of Gippal, he turned around and began walking his own path home. But he knew that some time soon, Gippal would follow.

* * *

END

* * *

So Hidama-san and I claimed the Gippalai pairing in the 30 kisses comm in Livejournal. And this is my first contribution for the challenge. XD 


End file.
